The King of Pirates

The Captain of the Spanish Man of War was kill’d in the Fight, and about 36 of his Men, and most of the rest wounded, which it seems happen’d upon the Sloop’s lying athwart her. This Man of War was a new Ship, and with some Alteration in her upper Work, made a very good Fregate for them, and they afterwards quitted their own Ship, and went all on Board the Spanish Ship, taking out the Main-mast of their own Ship, and making a new Fore-mast for the Spanish Ship, because her Fore-mast was also weaken’d with some Shot in her; this, however, cost them a great deal of Labour and Difficulty, and also some Time, when they came to a certain Creek, where they all went on Shore, and refresh’d themselves a while.

But if the taking the Man of War was an unexpected Victory to them, the Wealth of the Prize was much more so; for they found an amazing Treasure on Board her, both in Silver and Gold; and the Account they gave me was but imperfect, but I think they calculated the Pieces of Eight to be about 13 Tun in Weight, besides that they had 5 small Chests of Gold, some Emeralds, and, in a Word, a prodigious Booty.

They were not, however, so modest in their Prosperity as we were; for they never knew when to have done, but they must Cruise again to the Northward for more Booty, when to their great Surprize, they fell in with the Flotilla or Squadron of Men of War, which they had so studiously avoided before, and were so surrounded by them, that there was no Remedy but they must fight, and that in a Kind of Desperation, having no Prospect now but to sell their Lives as dear as they could.

This unlucky Accident befel them before they had chang’d their ship, so that they had now the Sloop and both the Men of War in Company, but they were but thinly mann’d; and as for the Booty, the greater Part of it was on Board the Sloop, that is to say, all the Gold and Emeralds, and near half the Silver.

When they saw the Necessity of fighting, they order’d the Sloop, if possible, to keep to Windward, that so she might as Night come on, make the best of her Way, and escape; but a Spanish Fregate of 18 Guns tended her so close, and sail’d so well, that the Sloop could by no Means get away from the rest; so she made up close to the Buccaneers Fregate, and maintain’d a Fight as well as she could, till in the Dusk of the Evening the Spaniards boarded and took her, but most of her Men gat away in her Boat, and some by swimming on Board the other Ship: They only left in her five wounded Englishmen, and six Spanish Negroes. The five English the barbarous Spaniards hang’d up immediately, wounded as they were.

This was good Notice to the other Men to tell them what they were to expect, and made them fight like desperate Men till Night, and kill’d the Spaniards a great many Men. It prov’d a very dark rainy Night, so that the Spaniards were oblig’d by Necessity to give over the Fight till the next Day, endeavouring, in the mean time, to keep as near them as they could: But the Buccaneers concerting their Measures where they should meet, resolv’d to make Use of the Darkness of the Night to get off if they could; and the Wind springing up a fresh Gale at S. S. W. they chang’d their Course, and, with all the Sail they could make, stood away to the N. N. W. slanting it to Seawards as nigh the Wind as they could; and getting clear away from the Spaniards, who they never saw more, they made no Stay till they pass’d the Line, and arriv’d in about 22 Days Sail on the Coast of California, where they were quite out of the Way of all Enquiry and Search of the Spaniards.

Here it was they chang’d their Ship, as I said, and quitting their own Vessel, they went all on Board the Spanish Man of War, fitting up her Masts and Rigging, as I have said, and taking out all the Guns, Stores, &c. of their own Ship, so that they had now a stout Ship under them, carrying 40 Guns, (for so many they made her carry) and well furnish’d with all Things; and tho’ they had lost so great a Part of their Booty, yet they had still left a vast Wealth, being six or seven Tun of Silver, besides what they had gotten before.

With this Booty, and regretting heartily they had not practis’d the same Moderation before, they resolv’d now to be satisfy’d, and make the best of their Way to the Island of Juan Fernando; where keeping at a great Distance from the Shore, they safely arriv’d, in about two Months Voyage, having met with some contrary Winds by the Way.

However, here they found the other Sloop which they had sent in with their first Booty, to wait for them: And here understanding that we were gone for St. Julien, they resolv’d, (since the Time was so long gone that they could not expect to find us again) that they would have t’other Touch with the Spaniards, cost what it would. And accordingly, having first bury’d the most Part of their Money in the Ground, on Shore in the Island, and having revictual’d their Ship in the best Manner they could in that barren Island, away they went to Sea.

They beat about on the South of the Line all up the Coast of Chili, and Part of Peru, till they came to the Height of Lima itself.

They met with several Ships, and took several, but they were loaden chiefly with Lumber or Provisions, except that in one Vessel they took between 40 and 50000 Pieces of Eight, and in another 75000. They soon inform’d themselves that the Spanish Men of War were gone out of those Seas up to Panama, to boast of their good Fortune, and carry Home their Prize; and this made them the bolder. But tho’ they spent near five Months in this second Cruise, they met with nothing considerable; the Spaniards being every where alarm’d, and having Notice of them, so that nothing stirr’d Abroad.

Tir’d then with their long Cruise, and out of Hope of more Booty, they began to look Homeward, and to say to one another that they had enough; so, in a Word, they came back to Juan Fernando, and there furnishing themselves as well as they could with Provisions, and not forgeting to take their Treasure on Board with them, they set forward again to the South; and after a very bad Voyage in rounding the Terra del Fuego, being driven to the Latitude of 65 Degrees, where they felt Extremity of Cold, they at length obtain’d a more favourable Wind, viz. at S. and S. S. E; with which, steering to the North, they came into a milder Sea and a milder Coast, and at length arriv’d at Port St. Julien, where, to their great Joy, they found the Post or Cross erected by us; and understanding that we were gone to Madagascar, and that we would be sure to remain there to hear from them, and withal that we had been gone there near two Year, they resolv’d to follow us.

Here they staid, it seems, almost half a Year, partly fitting and altering their Ship, partly wearing out the Winter Season, and waiting for milder Weather; and having victuall’d their Ship in but a very ordinary Manner for so long a Run, viz. only with Seals Flesh and Penguins, and some Deer they kill’d in the Country, they at last launch’d out, and crossing the great Atlantick Ocean, they made the Cape of Good Hope in about 76 Days, having been put to very great Distresses in that Time for Want of Food, all their Seals Flesh and Penguins growing nauseous and stinking in little less than half the Time of their Voyage; so that they had nothing to subsist on for seven and twenty Days, but a little Quantity of dry’d Venison which they kill’d on Shore, about the Quantity of 3 Barrels of English Beef, and some Bread; and when they came to the Cape of Good Hope, they gat some small Supply, but it being soon perceiv’d on Shore what they were, they were glad to be gone as soon as they had fill’d their Casks with Water, and gat but a very little Provisions; so they made to the Coast of Natal on the South East Point of Africa, and there they gat more fresh Provisions, such as Veal, Milk, Goats-Flesh, some tolerable Butter, and very good Beef: And this held them out till they found us in the North Part of Madagascar, as above.

We staid about a Fortnight in our Port, and in a sailing Posture, just as if we had been Wind-bound, meerly to congratulate and make merry with our new-come Friends, when I resolv’d to leave them there, and set Sail; which I did with a Westerly Wind, keeping away North till I came into the Latitude of seven Degrees North; so coasting along the Arabian Coast E. N. E. towards the Gulph of Persia, in the Cruise I met with two Persian Barks loaden with Rice; one of which I mann’d and sent away to Madagascar, and the other I took for our own Ship’s Use. This Bark came safe to my new Colony, and was a very agreeable Prize to them; I think verily almost as agreeable as if it had been loaded with Pieces of Eight, for they had been without Bread a great while; and this was a double Benefit to them, for they fitted up this Bark, which carry’d about 55 Tun, and went away to the Gulph of Persia in her to buy Rice, and brought two or three Freights of that which was very good.

In this Time I pursu’d my Voyage, coasted the whole Malabar Shore, and met with no Purchase but a great Portugal East-India Ship, which I chac’d into Goa, where she got out of my Reach: I took several small Vessels and Barks, but little of Value in them, till I enter’d the great Bay of Bengale, when I began to look about me with more Expectation of Success, tho’ without Prospect of what happen’d.

I cruis’d here about two Months, finding nothing worth while; so I stood away to a Port on the North Point of the Isle of Sumatra, where I made no Stay; for here I gat News that two large Ships, belonging to the Great Mogul, were expected to cross the Bay from Hugely in the Ganges to the Country of the King of Pegu, being to carry the Grandaughter of the Great Mogul to Pegu, who was to be marry’d to the King of that Country, with all her Retinue, Jewels, and Wealth.

This was a Booty worth watching for, tho’ it had been some Months longer; so I refolv’d that we would go and Cruise off of Point Negaris, on the East Side of the Bay, near Diamond Isle; and here we ply’d off and on for three Weeks, and began to despair of Success; but the Knowledge of the Booty we expected spurr’d us on, and we waited with great Patience, for we knew the Prize would be immensely rich.

At length we spy’d three Ships coming right up to us with the Wind; we could easily see they were not Europeans by their Sails, and began to prepare ourselves for a Prize, not for a Fight; but were a little disappointed, when we found the first Ship full of Guns, and full of Soldiers, and in Condition, had she been manag’d by English Sailors, to have fought two such Ships as ours were; however, we resolv’d to attack her if she had been full of Devils as she was full of Men.

Accordingly, when we came near them, we fir’d a Gun with Shot as a Challenge; they fir’d again immediately three or four Guns; but fir’d them so confusedly that we could easily see they did not understand their Business; when we consider’d how to lay them on Board, and so to come thwart them, if we could; but falling, for want of Wind, open to them, we gave them a fair Broadside; we could easily see, by the Confusion that was on Board, that they were frighted out of their Wits; they fir’d here a Gun and there a Gun, and some on that Side that was from us, as well as those that were next to us. The next Thing we did was to lay them on Board, which we did presently, and then gave them a Volley of our Small-shot, which, as they stood so thick, kill’d a great many of them, and made all the rest run down under their Hatches, crying out like Creatures bewitch’d: In a Word, we presently took the Ship, and having secur’d her Men, we chac’d the other two: One was chiefly fill’d with Women, and the other with Lumber. Upon the Whole, as the Grandaughter of the Great Mogul was our Prize in the first Ship, so, in the second was her Women, or, in a Word, her Houshold, her Eunuchs, all the Necessaries of her Wardrobe, of her Stables, and of her Kitchin; and in the last, great Quantities of Houshold-stuff, and Things less costly, tho’ not less useful.

But the first was the main Prize. When my Men had enter’d and master’d the Ship, one of our Lieutenants call’d for me, and accordingly I jump’d on Board; he told me, he thought no Body but I ought to go into the great Cabin, or, at least, no Body should go there before me; for that the Lady herself and all her Attendance was there, and he fear’d the Men were so heated they would murder them all, or do worse.

I immediately went to the great Cabin-door, taking the Lieutenant that call’d me, along with me, and caus’d the Cabin-door to be open’d: But such a Sight of Glory and Misery was never seen by Buccaneer before; the Queen (for such she was to have been) was all in Gold and Silver, but frighted; and crying, and at the Sight of me she appear’d trembling, and just as if she was going to die. She sate on the Side of a kind of a Bed like a Couch with no Canopy over it, or any Covering, only made to lie down upon; she was, in a Manner, cover’d with Diamonds, and I, like a true Pirate, soon let her see that I had more Mind to the Jewels than to the Lady.

However, before I touch’d her, I order’d the Lieutenant to place a Guard at the Cabin-door; and fastening the Door, shut us both in, which he did: The Lady was young, and, I suppose, in their Country Esteem, very handsome, but she was not very much so in my Thoughts: At first, her Fright, and the Danger she thought she was in of being kill’d, taught her to do every Thing that she thought might interpose between her and Danger; and that was to take off her Jewels as fast as she could, and give them to me; and I, without any great Compliment, took them as fast as she gave them me, and put them into my Pocket, taking no great Notice of them, or of her, which frighted her worse than all the rest, and she said something which I could not understand; however, two of the other Ladies came, all crying, and kneel’d down to me with their Hands lifted up: What they meant I knew not at first, but by their Gestures and Pointings I found at last it was to beg the young Queen’s Life, and that I would not kill her.

I have heard that it has been reported in England that I ravish’d this Lady, and then used her most barbarously; but they wrong me, for I never offer’d any Thing of that Kind to her, I assure you; nay, I was so far from being inclin’d to it, that I did not like her; and there was one of her Ladies who I found much more agreeable to me, and who I was afterwards something free with, but not even with her either by Force, or by Way of Ravishing.

We did, indeed, ravish them of all their Wealth, for that was what we wanted, not the Women; nor was there any other Ravishing among those in the great Cabin, that I can assure you: As for the Ship where the Women of inferior Rank were, and who were in Number almost two hundred, I cannot answer for what might happen in the first Heat; but even there, after the first Heat of our Men was over, what was done, was done quietly, for I have heard some of the Men say, that there was not a Woman among them but what was lain with four or five Times over, that is to say, by so many several Men; for as the Women made no Opposition, so the Men even took those that were next them, without Ceremony, when and where Opportunity offer’d.

When the three Ladies kneel’d down to me, and as soon as I understood what it was for, I let them know I would not hurt the Queen, nor let any one else hurt her, but that she must give me all her Jewels and Money: Upon this they acquainted her that I would save her Life; and no sooner had they assur’d her of that, but she got up, smiling, and went to a fine Indian Cabinet, and open’d a private Drawer, from whence she took another little Thing full of little square Drawers and Holes; this she brings to me in her Hand, and offer’d to kneel down to give it me. This innocent Usage began to rouse some Good-Nature in me, (tho’ I never had much) and I would not let her kneel; but sitting down myself on the Side of her Couch or Bed, made a Motion to her to sit down too: But here she was frighted again, it seems, at what I had no Thought of; for sitting on her Bed, she thought I would pull her down to lie with her, and so did all her Women too; for they began to hold their Hands before their Faces, which, as I understood afterwards, was that they might not see me turn up their Queen: But as I did not offer any Thing of that Kind, only made her sit down by me, they began all to be easier after some Time, and she gave me the little Box or Casket, I know not what to call it, but it was full of invaluable Jewels. I have them still in my Keeping, and wish they were safe in England; for I doubt not but some of them are fit to be plac’d on the King’s Crown.

Being Master of this Treasure, I was very willing to be good-humour’d to the Persons; so I went out of the Cabin, and caus’d the Women to be left alone, causing the Guard to be kept still, that they might receive no more Injury than I would do them myself.

After I had been out of the Cabin some Time, a Slave of the Womens came to me, and made Sign to me that the Queen would speak with me again. I made Signs back, that I would come and dine with her Majesty: And accordingly I order’d that her Servants should prepare her Dinner, and carry it in, and then call me. They provided her Repast after the usual Manner, and when she saw it brought in, she appear’d pleas’d, and more, when she saw me come in after it; for she was exceedingly pleas’d that I had caus’d a Guard to keep the rest of my Men from her; and she had, it seems, been told how rude they had been to some of the Women that belong’d to her.

When I came in, she rose up, and paid me such Respect as I did not well know how to receive, and not in the least how to return. If she had understood English, I could have said plainly, and in good rough Words, Madam, be easy, we are rude rough-hewn Fellows, but none of our Men should hurt you, or touch you; I will be your Guard and Protection; we are for Money, indeed and we shall take what you have, but we will do you no other Harm. But as I could not talk thus to her, I scarce knew what to say; but I sate down, and made Signs to have her sit down and eat, which she did, but with so much Ceremony, that I did not know well what to do with it.

After we had eaten, she rose up again, and drinking some Water out of a China Cup, sate her down on the Side of the Couch, as before: When she saw I had done eating, she went then to another Cabinet, and pulling out a Drawer, she brought it to me; it was full of small Pieces of Gold Coin of Pegu, about as big as an English Half Guinea, and I think there were three thousand of them. She open’d several other Drawers, and shew’d me the Wealth that was in them and then gave me the Key of the Whole.

We had revell’d thus all Day, and Part of the next Day, in a bottomless Sea of Riches, when my Lieutenant began to tell me, we must consider what to do with our Prisoners, and the Ships, for that there was no subsisting in that Manner; besides, he hinted privately, that the Men would be ruin’d, by lying with the Women in the other Ship, where all Sorts of Liberty was both given and taken: Upon this we call’d a short Council, and concluded to carry the great Ship away with us, but to put all the Prisoners, Queen, Ladies, and all the rest, into the lesser Vessels, and let them go: And so far was I from ravishing this Lady, as I hear is reported of me, that tho’ I might rifle her of every Thing else, yet I assure you I let her go untouch’d for me, or, as I am satisfy’d, for any one, of my Men; nay, when we dismiss’d them, we gave her Leave to take a great many Things of Value with her, which she would have been plunder’d of, if I had not been so careful of her.

We had now Wealth enough, not only to make us rich, but almost to have made a Nation rich; and to tell you the Truth, considering the costly Things we took here, which we did not know the Value of, and besides Gold, and Silver, and Jewels, I say, we never knew how rich we were; besides which, we had a great Quantity of Bales of Goods, as well Calicoes as wrought Silks; which being for Sale, were, perhaps, as a Cargo of Goods to answer the Bills which might be drawn upon them for the Account of the Bride’s Portion; all which fell into our Hands, with a great Sum in Silver Coin, too big to talk of among Englishmen, especially while I am living, for Reasons which I may give you hereafter.

I had nothing to do now but to think of coming back to Madagascar, so we made the best of our Way; only that, to make us quite distracted without other Joy, we took in our Way a small Bark loaden with Arack and Rice, which was good Sawce to our other Purchace; for if the Women made our Men drunk before, this Arack made them quite mad; and they had so little Government of themselves with it, that I think it might be said, the whole Ship’s Crew was drunk for above a Fortnight together, till six or seven of them kill’d themselves; two fell overboard and were drown’d, and several more fell into raging Fevers, and it was a Wonder, in the whole, they were not all kill’d with it.

But, to make short of the Story as we did of the Voyage, we had a very pleasant Voyage, except those Disasters, and we came safe back to our Comrades at Madagascar, having been absent in all about seven Months.

We found them in very good Health, and longing to hear from us; and we were, you may be assur’d, welcome to them; for now we had amass’d such a Treasure as no Society of Men ever possess’d in this World before us, neither could we ever bring it to an Estimation, for we could not bring particular Things to a just Valuation.

We liv’d now and enjoy’d ourselves in full Security; for tho’ some of the European Nations, and perhaps all of them had heard of us; yet they heard such formidable Things of us, such terrible Stories of our great Strength, as well as of our great Wealth, that they had no Thought of undertaking any Thing against us; for, as I have understood, they were told at London, that we were no less than 5000 Men; that we had built a regular Fortress for our Defence by Land, and that we had 20 Sail of Ships; and I have been told that in France they have heard the same Thing: But nothing of all this was ever true, any more than it was true, that we offer’d ten Millions to the Government of England for our Pardon.

It is true, that had the Queen sent any Intimation to us of a Pardon, and that we should have been receiv’d to Grace at Home, we should all have very willingly embrac’d it; for we had Money enough to have encourag’d us all to live honest; and if we had been ask’d for a Million of Pieces of Eight, or a Million of Pounds Sterling, to have purchas’d our Pardon, we should have been very ready to have comply’d with it; for we really knew not what to do with ourselves, or with our Wealth; and the only Thing we had now before us, was to consider what Method to take for getting Home, if possible, to our own Country with our Wealth, or at least with such Part of it as would secure us easy and comfortable Lives; and, for my own Part, I resolv’d, if I could, to make full Satisfaction to all the Persons who I had wrong’d in England, I mean by that, such People as I had injur’d by running away with the Ship; as well the Owners, and the Master or Captain, who I set a-shore in Spain, as the Merchant whose Goods I had taken with the Ship; and I was daily forming Schemes in my Thoughts how to bring this to pass: But we all concluded that it was impossible for us to accomplish our Desires as to that Part, seeing the Fact of our Piracy was now so publick all over the World, that there was not any Nation in the World that would receive us, or any of us; but would immediately seize on our Wealth, and execute us for Pirates and Robbers of all Nations.

This was confirm’d to us after some Time, with all the Particulars, as it is now understood in Europe; for as the Fame of our Wealth and Power was such, that it made all the World afraid of us, so it brought some of the like Sort with our selves to join with us from all Parts of the World; and particularly, we had a Bark, and 60 Men of all Nations, from Martinico, who had been cruising in the Gulph of Florida, came over to us, to try if they could mend their Fortunes; and these went afterwards to the Gulph of Persia, where they took some Prizes, and return’d to us again. We had after this three Pirate Ships came to us, most English, who had done some Exploits on the Coast of Guinea, had made several good Prizes, and were all tolerably rich.

As these People came and shelter’d with us, so they came and went as they would, and sometimes some of our Men went with them, sometimes theirs staid with us: But by that Coming and Going our Men found Ways and Means to convey themselves away, some one Way, some another. For I should have told you at first, that after we had such Intelligence from England, viz. that they knew of all our successful Enterprizes, and that there was no Hopes of our returning, especially of mine and some other Men who were known: I say, after this we call’d a general Council to consider what to do; and there, one and all, we concluded that we liv’d very happy where we were; that if any of us had a Mind to venture to get away to any Part of the World, none should hinder them, but that else we would continue where we were; and that the first Opportunity we had we would cruise upon the English East India Ships, and do them what Spoil we could, fancying that some Time or other they would proclaim a Pardon to us, if we would come in; and if they did, then we would accept of it.

Under these Circumstances we remain’d here, off and on, first and last, above three Year more; during which Time our Number encreas’d so, especially at first, that we were once eight hundred Men, stout brave Fellows, and as good Sailors as any in the World. Our Number decreas’d afterwards upon several Occasions; such as the going Abroad to Cruise, wandering to the South Part of the Island, (as above) getting on Board European Ships, and the like.

After I perceiv’d that a great many of our Men were gone off, and had carry’d their Wealth with them, I began to cast about in my own Thoughts how I should make my Way Home also: Innumerable Difficulties presented to my View; when at last, an Account of some of our Mens Escape into Persia encourag’d me. The Story was this: One of the small Barks we had taken, went to Guzaratte to get Rice, and having secur’d a Cargo, but not loaded it, ten of our Men resolv’d to attempt their Escape; and accordingly they drest themselves like Merchant-Strangers, and bought several Sorts of Goods there, such as an Englishman, who they found there, assisted them to buy; and with their Bales, (but in them pack’d up all the rest of their Money) they went up to Bassora in the Gulph of Persia, and so travell’d as Merchants with the Caravan to Aleppo, and we never heard any more of them, but that they went clean off with all their Cargo.

This fill’d my Head with Schemes for my own Deliverance; but however, it was a Year more before I attempted any Thing, and not till I found that many of our Men shifted off, some and some, nor did any of them miscarry; some went one Way, some another; some lost their Money, and some sav’d it; nay, some carry’d it away with them, and some left it behind them: As for me, I discover’d my Intentions to no Body, but made them all believe I would stay here till some of them should come and fetch me off, and pretended to make every Man that went off promise to come for me, if it ever was in his Power, and gave every one of them Signals to make for me, when they came back, upon which I would certainly come off to them. At the same Time nothing was more certain, than that I intended from the Beginning to get away from the Island, as soon as I could any Way make my Way with Safety to any Part of the World.